The above is a map put together by our team at VERTESS. This map identifies some of the larger intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) competitors in the country, the states in which they do business, and their owner or ownership structure. Every healthcare industry uses this tool. These maps provide valuable insight into the competitive landscape of the respective industries. They are also a way of demonstrating why a healthcare business owner would be wise to partner with a merger and acquisition (M&A) advisor when the owner decides it is time to begin pursuing a sale of the company. Along with business size and service lines, buyers are often categorized by the geographic markets in which they're seeking acquisitions. Advisors should be aware of who is looking for acquisitions where.